'Don't ignore an alarm,' gardaí warn

Home or business owners with burglar alarms installed are being warned this week not to be tempted to stop using the devices - even if they keep going off without evident cause.

That's because burglars will sometimes set off an alarm several times in the hope that eventually the premises owner will just decide the device is malfunctioning and stop setting it, a garda spokesperson told The Westmeath Examiner this week.

"Use all your security systems; make sure all your alarms are set properly when you leave your premises and make sure that any false alarms are acted on - regardless even of whether you have three or four of them in the night."

In such cases, the spokesperson continued, those whose alarms keep going off should not hesitate to contact the gardaí.

"I'd always worry about the scenario where someone would keep setting of an alarm in a premises repeatedly in the hope that the owner eventually turns it off because he is fed up," the garda spokesperson said.

Electronic items stolen

Over a thousand euros' worth of electronic items were stolen in a break-in at a business premises at Castle Street on Thursday last.

The burglary occurred at around 2am - but gardaí succeeded in arresting a suspect, who is due to go before the court.

A second burglary was notified to gardaí on Friday. In that case, entry was gained to a house in the Ballynacargy area, some time between 5am and 1pm. Nothing of value was taken.

Man assaulted in phone theft

A man was assaulted and had his phone stolen as he walked up Oliver Plunkett Street on Monday of last week - March 7 - at 10am.

The victim is a man in his thirties.

A suspect was, however, quickly identified and arrested and is to appear in court.

Arrests

Four motorists were arrested in the Mullingar area in the last week on suspicion of being under the influence of either alcohol or drugs.